Love Takes a Chance
by TyRose78
Summary: Based on the 2017 film. In an AU storyline set just before the Beast is shot by Gaston, something slightly different becomes the catalyst to Beauty falling in love with the Beast and breaking the curse. A few enchanted objects may have a little to say about this!


**Love Takes a Chance**

 **Author's notes:** Hello! I haven't written fanfiction in a while but I read a great deal of it and after seeing the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast (LOVED) I thought I'd give it a go again. This is an AU storyline where Gaston doesn't get the chance to fire at the Beast, so our heroes must come to the point of breaking the curse another way... I'm gonna go with a PG rating, nothing explicit, just a little more serious than a G. Also, I felt the on-the-fly naming of the Prince as Adam was just awful. Nothing against this name but it seemed like in the midst of a cast of characters with very traditionally French names, this was such an oversight as to be comical. So we're gonna fix that ;)

Comments are certainly welcome! If reposting please include header. - Tyrose78

 **Love Takes a Chance**

By TyRose78

Belle made it back to the castle just in time, nearly wearing poor Phillipe to exhaustion. She jumped off his back and left him untethered at the steps of the Castle, running as fast as she could up the grand stairs past the chaos of the battle going on around her between villagers and enchanted objects. Too busy securing victory to notice her, the Beast's faithful servants gave everything to keep their Master's home from ruin.

As she neared the tower she tripped over her gown, ripping the hems and bruising her knee but the sound of the taunting, cruel voice of Gaston kept her going until she came out to the window ledge, grabbing onto the stone to keep herself from slipping out into oblivion. Scanning the turrets, her eyes first fell on Gaston, gun raised and pointed as he informed the Beast he had no hope of her ever loving him. Her heart sank as she followed the end of his gun across the crumbling bridge to the West Wing and to the Beast, hunched over in defeat. _No,_ her mind screamed, _this can't happen!_

She heard herself shout out to Gaston and he turned, dropping the gun momentarily to leap over from the next window ledge to her. She put her hands up to push him back but he caught her in his arms and pushed her roughly against the stone wall.

"Now, I'm going to kill this beast and when we're married, I'll hang his head over our doorway. Then that will be the end of this silly fascination you've allowed yourself to fall under," he sneered, leaning down as if to steal a kiss. Belle jerked her head away from him and wrenched out of his grip enough to knock him precariously close to the edge of the turret. "That's never going to happen Gaston. I love him, I love him with all my heart. And I could never love you," she cried. But as the words escaped her lips she saw out of the corner of her eye the movement that was the Beast leaping into the air to rescue her and she pitched forward unconsciously.

Gaston, startled, stepped backward and off of the window ledge.

Belle wasn't sure if the scream she heard was the Beast as he barely missed the ledge and pulled with all his might to climb up, or the last breath of Gaston as he fell to his end below in the frozen Castle garden. As the Beast came to a stand and pulled her inside to safety, she fell against him and clung to him for dear life, trying to shut her eyes to the sight of Gaston laying below, his hand outstretched towards his pistol laying nearby.

Below them screams floated up from the villagers who came upon Gaston's lifeless form. They picked up their leader and gently placed him on his horse. The Castle was once again abandoned as they began the funeral march back to Villeneuve, trailed by LeFou on foot.

Shouts of congratulations and undulations echoed from below up the tower staircase, but there was no rejoicing between Belle and the Beast.

She pulled away from him and looked him over for injuries as he stood silently and allowed it. She found that he was miraculously unharmed and she sighed in relief but when she looked back to him, his gaze was far in the distance. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but she was afraid he would answer. Instead, she backed away and busied herself with her dress. She had thrown off her outer jacket when she jumped on Phillipe to come back to the castle and she was underdressed. Perhaps he was just being a gentleman and averting his eyes. But then, she'd seen him without a dressing gown when she tended his wounds after rescuing her from the wolves.

"I came back as soon as I could," she said softly. "They had Papa in the wagon to go to an asylum. They wouldn't even believe me until I showed them the mirror, but then they threw me in too. Papa opened the lock and we es-"

" _Enough_." The Beast's voice warned. "I allowed you to go. There's nothing for you to say."

Belle looked at him fearfully but he still refused to meet her eyes. "I don't understand," she began but he walked off past her, heading down the stairs. _His face,_ she thought, _his stance... so like that of that first night here at the castle. The night I met him_. She slumped against the wall and slid down to sit, feeling the chill wind bite at her bare arms.

Below, the Beast had gone straight to his chambers and barred the door, standing mournfully in the moonlight to gaze at the enchanted rose and its few small petals left. He dared breath lest he should knock yet another off, standing as still as a statue a few feet from it. A knock sounded at the door and he heard the cheerful voice of Lumiere announce that the castle was secure. Cogworth's over-dramatic tones interrupted him as he told of how they chased the last of the scalliwags from Villeneuve off into the forest.

The Beast had no ears to hear. The words dropped in the air like lead as he commanded his servants. "Fetch the carriage from the stable, Lumiere. Pack everything Belle has and ride with her to the edge of the forest. Come back with the pony and send her on with the carriage to Villeneuve to her father." He sighed. "No time to lose."

The distinct sound of metal clinking as it hit the stone floor was heard and he knew Cogsworth had sprung a gear or two. Lumiere's voice was hesitant but strong. "But Master, she returned to us. You know what this means of course..."

"I know that the curse is unbroken and you're still a candelabra!" he thundered as he overturned a pile of books she'd left by his bed.

"Don't give up now Master, perhaps it just takes a little time to-"

"If she loved me the curse would already be broken!" The Beast roared. "The curse still stands and there isn't time to play games. She has to go, now! Fetch the carriage _at once!_ "

His breath came quick and hard and in his grief he ripped his shirt clean open, feeling every inch the animal he'd been turned into so many years before. For the first time since Belle had come into his life, he fell onto the pile of destroyed tapestries on the floor to sleep, forgoing the poster bed made for a prince.

He lie there for some time, his eyes closed and nearly to sleep when a ruckus of shouting and metal and scuffling came up the hall to land in a violent knocking on his door. He started up when the voice of Belle broke through it, furious.

"Why are you doing this? What have I done to offend you so much? Let me in!" She yelled, banging on the door with all her might.

"Lumiere!" The Beast bellowed, "I told you to get that carriage at once!"

"I'm so sorry Master, I called the carriage and Mrs. Potts packed the trunks but-"

"But don't you dare yell at him! I wouldn't get in your stuffy old carriage. I have my own horse that I rode here on in case you've forgotten! I rode here, to come back to you. And I'm not going anywhere!" She bellowed right back.

The Beast was silent for a moment. "And I won't leave this door until you let me in!" She threatened. But he waited her out until he heard the servants leave. "Show me Belle," he whispered to the mirror he'd quietly taken from her as they stood in the tower hours before. It's dark glass cleared and he saw her with her head against her knees the same as the night she'd come. _You must be strong_ , he lectured himself. _This is for her sake, not yours_.

"You aren't welcome here anymore. I gave you your freedom and you repaid me by sending an entire village to destroy my castle." He growled. He was met with silence but he could hear the swish of her beautiful gown's skirts on the floor.

 _He doesn't love me in return,_ she thought in disbelief. _The ball... how could I have thought_? She pulled herself up off the floor and looked around to make sure there were no lingering servants in the hall. Placing her hand on the door as if she could touch him, she said softly, "But I thought.."

His voice came back gruff but weak. " _You were mistaken._ Lumiere will ride with you to the edge of the forest. Take the carriage on and send him back with the pony."

"The trunks though, these aren't my things," she began but was cut off when he said sourly, "What does anyone here need of ballgowns? _Now be off!_ "

He heard her steps quick down the hall and the tiny sob escape her as he slumped down against the door to listen to his heart shatter in peace. He couldn't bear to pull himself up to the window to watch her leave him twice.

As the carriage sped away into the enchanted forest with Phillipe in tow and Lumiere by its side on the pony, Belle was only too glad to be alone to sob over the loss of her heart's desire. She only wanted to know what she'd done so she could amend it, and so great was the sorrow over it that she could scarce be happy to return to her Papa. _What's wrong with me_? She demanded of herself, but no answer came.

 _The Next Morning_

Belle awoke to the soft sounds of chickens scratching below her window and rolled over in bed to stare at the pale morning light. She didn't wish to leave her bed, ever. A timid knock at the door cemented the memory that she no longer lived in the castle. "Belle? May I come in?" Papa called. Belle closed her eyes and gave a little ascenting sound. He entered and sat down next to her on the bed.

"My dear, you haven't even changed," he tisked, pointing to the now-ruined gown she couldn't bear to take off. 'I know, Papa," she whispered.

"I've made some breakfast. I know I'm not the greatest of cooks, but that comes from having such a spoiling daughter cook for me all these years," he smiled. "And the animals are fed."

"Thank you Papa," she said heartlessly. "I'm not hungry though."

Maurice lowered his gaze. "Belle, rest. I'm here, whenever you'd like to tell me." And with this he left her to her own. She waited until he'd gone out of the cottage to let her tears soak the pillow.

In the enchanted castle the Beast had no plans to ever leave his chambers again after waking to silence in the wing. He's become accustomed to hearing her voice sparring back and forth with the servants in the morning as they tended the stable animals. He listened, but nothing came except a faint chink-chink-chink somewhere in the distance. Without lifting his head he stole a glance at the rose but no more petals had yet fallen.

"YOU OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT THIS MINUTE!" The sturdy and terrifying voice of a furious Mrs. Potts shook the door so that the Beast got to his feet quickly and did just that. The tiny golden teapot, sans son, came clinking in as much like a hurricane as a piece of china could and her spout erupted with a stream of hot steam. "JUST WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE PLAYING AT SENDING THAT DEAR GIRL AWAY IN THE NIGHT LIKE THAT?!" She demanded of him.

He backed up until he bumped into the bed and forcibly sat down. Mrs. Potts went on, her voice tamed. "Now, we're going to have a little chat, Master, because we're all completely baffled and if we're all going to be turned into objects forever you at least owe us a good reason why. Now go ahead, tell Mrs. Potts why like a good lad."

The Beast spread out his hands. "She loves me."

"Yes. That makes perfect sense dear. Certainly, she loves you and she came back to you to show that she does and so naturally YOU'D SEND HER AWAY," she fumed. "Enough with the shouting," he warned and she sat for a moment to give him the space to collect his thoughts.

He leaned back on the bed and gazed off. "I heard her in the tower. She told Gaston that she loves me with all her heart. And I wanted to tell her the same, but I realized it wasn't right. This," he indicated the room. "This isn't right. It's a world she doesn't belong in."

"But Master, she loves you. We all knew that. You're just finding out, that's all."

"She can't. The curse isn't broken, _is it_?" He snapped.

"Master, perhaps getting her to love you isn't the only thing needed to break the curse. Perhaps you've got to _allow_ yourself to love her in return. You'd given up hope it would ever break but then she came, the one who learned to love you. We're so close Master, please don't give up," she implored. "I'm so proud of you Master. You're mother would have been too."

"My mother would have been heartbroken that this happened in the first place," he snarled and she knew that was also true. "

He continued in a soft tone. "Belle doesn't understand. What kind of life could I give her? She deserves to be happy. She deserves to marry, have children, live a _normal_ life surrounded by her books. The rose is nearly gone and our time nearly up. If she stayed she'd be trapped here with me forever in this castle after you've all gone; never able to see her father, alone with just… a beast."

"But the last petal hasn't fallen yet!" She cried. "You must have faith that the spell can still be broken!"

"This is for _her own good_. I've made my decision. She _cannot_ return."

"But don't you think she should make that decision for herself? Don't you think she's earned the right to choose for herself?" Mrs. Potts implored.

"Make her own decisions? She's a _woman_!" He snorted. _Really_ , he thought. _Servants_!

"And so am I and I can _box your ears just as fierce as any man_ and don't you forget it!" the teapot's steam rose up but she cooled herself down and tried again. "She's the woman you _love_. I would think you'd consider taking the chance that the curse will be broken. For her sake, and yours, and ours! Sending her away like this, well, sometimes what we think is the right thing is the _easy_ thing. That's not love. Love considers all things and takes the chance regardless."

And having said this, Mrs. Potts took her leave of the Beast.

For the next several days the Beast did not leave his apartments and only his most trusted servant Lumiere was permitted to enter to bring him food which he left largely untouched.

"The rose has not wilted any further Master," he observed. The Beast nodded weakly. "What do you think it means?"

"It doesn't matter," the Beast sighed. "I'm only sorry I can't save you. I'm sorry I'm not the only one dying for the foolish choices I've made."

His servant left him to his own thoughts and took away the breakfast service but came clattering back on the cart not five minutes later. "Master! Master! A visitor to the castle!" He shouted. The Beast threw open his door and covered himself with his cloak. "That's impossible,' he muttered and thundered down the stairs, Lumiere stumbling down after him. "Master it's him, it's Belle's father!"

"How did he manage to get here?" He demanded. Lumiere replied, "The carriage. He brought the carriage back."

In the palace ready Chapeau took Maurice's cloak and he wrung his hands anxiously as he waited for the Beast to make his way down to him. He instinctively moved backwards but knocked into Chapeau who graciously gave him a little push for bravery.

"What's happened to her," the Beast said gruffly in spite of his swearing to himself it didn't matter anymore.

"Please, you must come back with me to the village quickly. Belle has fallen ill since she came home. She won't eat, doesn't sleep. Even her books won't comfort her. Please come quickly," Maurice implored.

"I don't understand," the Beast began.

Mild-mannered Maurice cut in, "It's heartsickness. It very nearly took me after the death of my beloved wife... if I hadn't had Belle… well, she saved me. And now I must save her. I beg you good sir, come back with me to her at once."

The Beast scoffed, "What could I do for her? You talk as if I could save her!"

"She has her heart set on you. I don't understand it myself, but I _know_ my daughter. She wouldn't set her affections on anyone unworthy of her. She's a smart girl, a kind girl. I don't know how, raised by her dottering father, that she came out with every quality of the woman I loved so well but she did. She wouldn't give her heart to a fool. She turned down the hand of the best chance she had because he was also the biggest fool in the village."

The Beast shook his head and paced by the door. "Alas, I am imprisoned in my own castle. I cannot go past the enchanted forest, nor can any of my household. Only the animals and the objects of the castle that had no breath of life were unaffected by the Enchantress's curse on this place."

"Then permit me to bring her back here," Maurice blocked his pacing and stood his ground when he saw the Beast clench his fists.

"There is magic here you saw when you first sat foot on these grounds that _you do not understand_. I didn't just send her back heartlessly, I sent her back for her own good. Would you have her imprisoned here forever by the curse on this place? Would you risk never seeing your only daughter again?" He growled.

Maurice spoke from his heart. "I would if it meant her happiness. I would if it would save her life. I would take that chance."

 _Love takes the chance._.. the words echoed in his mind. The Beast made up his mind. Belle was in trouble and though he was still resolute in his decision, there were still two petals on the rose that hadn't fallen yet. He would take the chance.

"Take the carriage. Now go and bring her back to me, no time to lose."

The Beast paced back and forth before the door, listening intently yet afraid to hear. When he heard the clinking of Mrs. Pott's little china feet on the stone his heart sank as he thought of standing at the bedside of his mother. It was Mrs. Potts who had come to fetch him to come to her side in her last hours. He had been a child then; it was acceptable for him to enter her apartments. Now he was grown and had no business in a young ladies' room. He wished his mother was there now; she could help them both.

"Master, you can come in now," she said gently. "But be as quiet as you can, she needs to rest."

"How is she?" he whispered.

"She took some soup, so that's a good sign. We need to keep her warm. Lumiere is doing nicely with the fire of course," she reported. "Perhaps you could read a little to her; I think it would help."

"It's my fault she's even in this condition. She couldn't possibly wish to see me now. If only she wasn't so stubborn," he said under his breath but felt the Mrs. Potts' matronly scowl on him and quietly opened the door.

He sat down by the bed and gazed at her hair, splayed out over the pillow and damp from fever. He gently picked up her hair ribbon from the side table and clumsily felt it in his paws, reliving the day in the library when she'd worn it as she'd loaded him down with some 'light reading'.

"Thank you… thank you for saving her," Maurice said quietly from his chair.

"Don't thank me," the Beast returned angrily. "I'm the reason she's in this mess to begin with. I'm the reason she ever came here."

Maurice held up a hand, "We all make mistakes. I would know, I'm her father. Becoming a father didn't save me from making the same mistakes with my daughter that I did with my wife. What's important now is that she get well and find happiness."

The Beast idly fingered the ribbon and thought very carefully before uttering his next words. He knew the answer to his question would haunt him forever no matter what it turned out to be.

"What if she did care for me? Would you approve?"

Maurice did not hesitate. "If you make her happy and care for her, yes. What else can I ask for my daughter?"

Relieved, the Beast relaxed slightly and the two men sat for a time in silence watching the most important person in their lives sleep sweetly before them.

He father spoke first. "Thank you for taking her to see Paris. It was something I could never do for her."

"I would have taken her anywhere she wished."

"Anywhere except home." It was said without malice, but as an afterthought.

The Beast held his head in his paws. "I was a fool, a selfish fool. But before I met her, I had no chance of escape from the curse. I had given up. She gave me hope and I just…"

"Made a mistake. The thing about them is that they're like hearts. All of us has at least one and both can be mended," the older man finished.

It was two long days before Belle awoke, and when she did she felt as if she'd died and returned to life. Beside her sat a little chipped teacup who promptly spilled all over the pillow when she croaked a hoarse "hello" and ran off promptly to sound the alarm that she'd awoken. The clambouring in through her doorway of enchanted objects may have alarmed anyone else but to Belle that moment felt more right than any other in her life.

Maurice sat down beside her and explained how she had come back to the castle but she was anxious to see the Beast. Mrs. Potts leaned over and shushed her. "That's enough talk for one day. You just worry about resting and getting some food in for your strength."

"But-"

"No buts, poppet. Just rest. And don't you overexcite her, Chip!" She admonished the little teacup. "Nor you!" She shook her spout at Maurice. He raised both hands in surrender.

When they'd left Belle held her father's hand for some time, trying not to ask the thing she was dying to know. He answered for her. "He's right, you know. There are things here beyond our understanding. When you're stronger, you two should talk."

But seven days went by, and though she heard him outside her door many times, Belle had no visit from the Beast. When Mrs. Potts declared her fit to begin taking strolls around the corridors, she waited until nightfall when her father had gone off to bed and the servants' chatter had subsided. She lit her candle, put on a dressing gown and crept down to the library where, as she'd guessed, a dim light under the door announced the Beast's presence.

She pushed open the door and saw him reading by the window. Holding her breath, Belle stole over close by and softly asked, "Sir Lancelot, perhaps?"

The Beast nearly tipped his candelabra over in fright at her voice but caught it and righted it. He looked at her with such guarded eyes the smile from her face melted and she stepped back, her face becoming partially obscured in the shadows. "Am I, am I so offensive to you?" she asked sadly.

No! His thoughts shouted. I've never seen such a beautiful creature in my life. But he instead he said, "I trust you're feeling well then."

"I am. Mrs. Potts said I could take a walk."

"Then you'll be well enough to go home with your father soon."

She looked down, willing the tears to stay put. "Why did you send for me?"

He stood and turned his back to her. "Your father came beating down my door asking me to come to your village. He brought you to me."

Though she knew this wasn't quite the truth, Belle could tell it wasn't the time to hash it out. "I just want to know what I did that you sent me away. Can't you tell me why?" She went to him and put her hand gently on his arm but he pulled back as he had the night Gaston fell to his death.

"You don't belong here. You never did and when you've recovered your health you're going straight back to your own world," he mustered up all the gruff left in him to make her see he meant business.

But she became indignant and drew herself up to look a bit taller as she countered "So you get to decide what's best for me? Don't I have a say? At least tell me why you're sending me away again! And don't tell me again it's because I don't belong! Neither do you!"

"You weren't happy here," he backpedalled, hoping he wouldn't be pressed to say anything deeper. But he should have known he was dealing with an equal in the business of being stubborn.

"You kept me here against my will, " she reminded him and he flinched. "And besides, nobody is _always_ happy anywhere." _Nobody can be really happy if they're not free_ , he echoed her wistful sentiment made after the ball in his thoughts. "And you set me free. I _am_ free, and I freely choose to stay here," she interrupted.

"It's for your own good," he faltered, still not looking her in the eye. She stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips, which would have set him to laughing out loud if it hadn't been all so serious. "Well what about what _I_ want? Or don't you care at all?"

Could he tell her? Would she understand or would she only be more determined to throw her life away in his doomed palace. "You think you know everything but you don't. You have no idea!"

"Then tell me," she soothed and he allowed her to come close again. "Tell me, please. I came back, I came back to protect you. I came back so we could be together."

"We can _never_ be together," he said with finality. Her eyes widened and her lip quivered just slightly. _Look at her,_ he commanded himself. _You can't back down now_. "This isn't how it will always be Belle. You have to understand that. If the last petal falls it will only be me here in this forgotten castle for eternity. The friends you've made here will be nevermore and you would be imprisoned here with me, unable to ever see your father again."

Belle drew herself up, determined not to lose. "Sounds like a similar situation I was in recently, you may have heard of it."

The Beast's frustration was palpable. "This is serious, Belle. I'm trying to tell you that it would be a terrible life for you, a life you don't deserve."

"I've told you before, shouldn't I decide that?" She then swallowed hard and closed the gap between them quietly, laying her hand on his cheek so softly it took him by surprise and he couldn't think quickly enough to pull away. Unbidden, his paw reached up to cover her hand and it was all he could do not to turn his head and press his lips to her palm.

"Why does it matter so much to you?" She whispered. "Please tell me, please trust me."

He looked away but stayed where he was. _I owe her the truth_ , he decided. _She has to say goodbye either way. If I can't give her anything else…_

He breathed deeply and began. "The day the Enchantress cursed me she didn't turn me into anything I wasn't already. Rather, she allowed my outside to reflect what my heart had become- ugly and wretched. And then, years later you came. You gave the servants such hope they'd someday have days in the sun again. And I, I learned to care about them as I once had as a young boy, and to realize what my selfishness had done. I'm not going to do that again. I tried to send you away," he said softly, raising his other paw up to brush away a stray strand of hair from her forehead.

"Now I'm _asking_ you to go and live a good life. The curse upon this castle ironically didn't fall on anything not living, so my storerooms are full of treasures that can be taken from here. Take as much as you can, sell it and get your father and get far away from here and that terrible village. Travel, be a noblewoman. Find a kind husband and teach your children to love books as you do."

She closed her eyes against the pain of his generosity. "But I don't _want_ a life without you. Can't you see?"

"And I'd rather die than say goodbye to you, but neither can I live knowing you gave your life away willingly," he looked her in the eyes then and willed her to go with all his might before his nerve was lost forever.

She thought this over for a moment and said decidedly, "Then I will do as you say and leave this place to care for my father in his last days. But I will never love another, I _swear_ it, for now I understand why my father never married again. Not a day will go by for the rest of my life that I won't think of you and the happiness I had here.

But before I go, tell me your name, for not once have you ever uttered it."

The Beast was taken aback by this request and as he thought, he realised so many years had passed since it had been spoken that he no longer knew his own name. "I no longer know it," he admitted.

"Then permit me to give you one," she asked and he nodded. "I name you Amé, because it means-"

"Beloved," he finished in wonder.

"Yes, my good Prince Ame." And as she said this she threw her arms about him and tilted her head up to press her cheek to his. He felt his heart shattering but allowed himself to hold her to him gently, steeling himself to the pain as she began to weep. _I'll never have this moment again,_ he thought, and reached up to take her hand from his neck, turning it over and pressing it finally to his lips as if he could memorize her forever in that one gesture.

And as he did so, a single tear fell from the Beast's eye and fell as somewhere else in the castle, the last petals of the rose also fell. And as both reached the ground, the words "I love you" were heard from his lips and he collapsed to the ground.

"No," Belle cried as she leaned over him, loosening his cloak to give him some air. "You'll be ok, you'll be fine." He covered her hand with his. "Go now," he croaked. "Get the carriage and go as fast as you can."

Below the sounds of Lumiere and the others casting about looking for little Chip could be heard and Belle felt she couldn't keep her promise to leave after all and she leaned over to kiss the Beast as his eyes slid closed for the last time. But she did not know that someone stood silently at the door watching, someone who had known the Beast for far longer than even he knew.

The mysterious figure pulled her the hood of her cloak off slowly, watching to make sure the girl lived out her word and when she saw that truly, love had been earned and given in return, she waved her hands and a powerful golden light appeared around the Beast, pulling him up out of Belle's grasp. The girl stumbled backwards and picked herself up, losing her dressing gown but not caring.

The light surrounded him and as Belle watched partly in horror and partly in fascination, his animal body underwent a transformation before her. Hair smoothed into skin, paws grew into hands. He was lowered gently to his feet and there before her stood a man, long-haired and with his back to her.

Belle's breath caught in her throat as he turned around and she was afraid for a moment at this stranger before her. But when she saw his piercing blue eyes her heart leapt. She covered her mouth in surprise and asked, to make sure, "Who are you?"

He smiled warmly as if seeing her for the first time. "I believe you called me Amé."

"I did, I did indeed!" She cried and fell into his arms, pulling back to press her mouth to his for what seemed like the first time and yet as if she'd done so in her heart so many times before that it was a matter of course. "How did this happen?" She asked when they pulled back to take each other in.

"You broke the curse," he answered but was countered by a familiar voice from the now-open doorway. 'If I may interrupt Master, you both did!" The Prince turned and opened his arms to his old friend Lumiere, now a very dapper man again and the two embraced fondly. "Come downstairs Master and Lady, the curse is done! We have all returned to your service!"

"Right behind you, friend," the Prince said as they followed behind. Belle took his hand and couldn't believe her happiness. "Your father of course will have his own apartment," he said, "And Phillipe will have his own stall in the stables. And you,"

"And I? Aren't you assuming I'll stay?" Belle eyed him up.

"I- will you?" He stammered.

"If you're giving me the choise..."

"I am! What- what _is_ your choise?"

But she couldn't draw it out seeing the unsure look in his now-human eyes. "Yes, I will. I'll stay with you for evermore. How could I leave such a – _library_?"

The laugh of delight he gave made her love him all the more. "Then you will be my Princess, and this will be your home. And I think—I think the occasion calls for a ball." He held out his arm for her to take and she did so, agreeing, "Yes, a ball is just the thing."

The End.


End file.
